News

Greece’s Culture Ministry says archaeologists revisiting one of the most famous shipwrecks of ancient times off southern Greece have found fragments of bronze statues and a section of the wooden hull. A ministry statement says divers raised a complete arm and a section of pleated clothing from statues, and compacted metal objects that have yet to be cleaned and separated. Last month’s expedition off Antikythera island also located broken bronze and marble statues under large boulders that covered them, probably following an earthquake. http://www.ekathimerini.com/222171/gallery/ekathimerini/in-images/rich-ancient-shipwreck-off-greece-yields-more-bronze-statues-video

Diving on shipwrecks in ancient times

Diving on shipwrecks goes back further than you might expect. Herodotus tells us that around 500 BCE, the Greek sculptor Scyllias and his daughter Cyana were employed as salvage divers for the Persian king Xerxes. In ancient Roman times urinatores dived on shipwrecks to attempt to salvage goods. Salvaging wrecks became very organised in Roman times and fees were regulated. In shallow water where the urinatores could stand, the share was only one-tenth the value of the goods. From 3.6 to 7.6 metres, the share was one-third and in depths of over 7.6 metres the salvor’s share was one-half of all goods recovered. (The name urinatores may come from the fact that the divers urinated a lot due to pressure under water).

SCUBA (or Aqua-Lung)

Did you know that SCUBA (self contained underwater breathing system) was first used on a shipwreck site by Jacques Cousteau and Fernand Benoit when they investigated the 3rd c. BCE shipwreck at Grand Congloué between1951 and 1957.